Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania

This study investigates the impact of temporary subsidies for nutrient-dense foods on the diets of low-income households in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Vouchers for eggs, milk, and unflavored yogurt were provided to randomly selected households over a three-month period. The subsidies significantly inc...

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Main Authors: Manda, Constantine, Sango, Danford, Hoffmann, Vivian, de Brauw, Alan, Zakaria, Zakayo, Temba, George, Brown, Elizabeth, Richards, Dorothy, Rashid, Said
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177443
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author Manda, Constantine
Sango, Danford
Hoffmann, Vivian
de Brauw, Alan
Zakaria, Zakayo
Temba, George
Brown, Elizabeth
Richards, Dorothy
Rashid, Said
author_browse Brown, Elizabeth
Hoffmann, Vivian
Manda, Constantine
Rashid, Said
Richards, Dorothy
Sango, Danford
Temba, George
Zakaria, Zakayo
de Brauw, Alan
author_facet Manda, Constantine
Sango, Danford
Hoffmann, Vivian
de Brauw, Alan
Zakaria, Zakayo
Temba, George
Brown, Elizabeth
Richards, Dorothy
Rashid, Said
author_sort Manda, Constantine
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study investigates the impact of temporary subsidies for nutrient-dense foods on the diets of low-income households in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Vouchers for eggs, milk, and unflavored yogurt were provided to randomly selected households over a three-month period. The subsidies significantly increased the consumption of the targeted healthy foods while discounts were offered. These effects persisted up to 9 months after the end of the subsidy period and were accompanied by a shift in preferences for the targeted foods. Consumption of unhealthy complements, specifically sugar added to yogurt and milk, increased during the subsidy period. Finally, while poorer households initially benefited most, sustained impacts were greater among wealthier households. In sum, the findings demonstrate that subsidies for healthy foods can lead to sustained improvements in diets, while suggesting a role for accompanying interventions such as nutrition education to maximize net health benefits, and pointing to the need for ongoing support to the most vulnerable.
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institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
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spelling CGSpace1774432025-11-06T05:41:14Z Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania Manda, Constantine Sango, Danford Hoffmann, Vivian de Brauw, Alan Zakaria, Zakayo Temba, George Brown, Elizabeth Richards, Dorothy Rashid, Said affordability consumers healthy diets households less favoured areas subsidies urban areas This study investigates the impact of temporary subsidies for nutrient-dense foods on the diets of low-income households in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Vouchers for eggs, milk, and unflavored yogurt were provided to randomly selected households over a three-month period. The subsidies significantly increased the consumption of the targeted healthy foods while discounts were offered. These effects persisted up to 9 months after the end of the subsidy period and were accompanied by a shift in preferences for the targeted foods. Consumption of unhealthy complements, specifically sugar added to yogurt and milk, increased during the subsidy period. Finally, while poorer households initially benefited most, sustained impacts were greater among wealthier households. In sum, the findings demonstrate that subsidies for healthy foods can lead to sustained improvements in diets, while suggesting a role for accompanying interventions such as nutrition education to maximize net health benefits, and pointing to the need for ongoing support to the most vulnerable. 2025-10-30 2025-10-30T18:40:34Z 2025-10-30T18:40:34Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177443 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141887 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/159355 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174099 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168663 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Manda, Constantine; Sango, Danford; Hoffmann, Vivian; de Brauw, Alan; Zakaria, Zakayo; Temba, George; et al. 2025. Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2372. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177443
spellingShingle affordability
consumers
healthy diets
households
less favoured areas
subsidies
urban areas
Manda, Constantine
Sango, Danford
Hoffmann, Vivian
de Brauw, Alan
Zakaria, Zakayo
Temba, George
Brown, Elizabeth
Richards, Dorothy
Rashid, Said
Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title_full Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title_fullStr Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title_short Overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets: Evidence from urban Tanzania
title_sort overcoming budget constraints to healthy diets evidence from urban tanzania
topic affordability
consumers
healthy diets
households
less favoured areas
subsidies
urban areas
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177443
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